Carbid-feed mechanism for acetylene-generators.



J. B. BURDETT.

GARBID FEED MECHANISM FOR AGETYLENE GENERATORS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 29, 1911.

Patented May 5, 1914.

' feed mechanism of the character mentioned thereto of a car-bid feedingmechanism empear, more fullyhereinafter.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEErcE.

JOE N B. BURDETT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. DAVIS-BOURNONVILLE COMPANY.

ASSIGNOR, 1 3Y MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CARBID-FEED MEClHANIlTSM FOR ACETYLENE-GENERATORS.

1 i) all wlzom. it may concern Be. it known that I, JOHN B. Bunnn'r'r, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county oi Cook, Stateof Illinois, have made a certain new and useful Invention in (hu'bid-leer-l Mechanism for. Acetylenc-(ienerators, of which the following is a.specification.

This invention relates to carbid feed mechanism for acetylene generatorsof the type wherein the carbid is fed to and dropped into a generatingchamber containing water to eil'ect the required generation of acetylenegas by the chemical union of the carbid and water.

The object of the invention is to provide a carbid feed mechanism forthe purpose and use referred to which is simple inconstruetion andeiiicient in operation.

A further object is to provide a carhid which embodies means for feedingtheearbid by gravity in quantities as required, and wherein clogging ofthe carbid in the feed hopper is avoided.

Other objects of the invention will ap- The invention consistssubstantially in the construction, combination, location and relativearrangement of parts, all as'will be more fully set forth hereinafter,as shown in the accompanying drawing, and finally pointed out in theappended claim.

In the drawing,-I*igure 1 is a broken view in side elevation, partsbroken out and parts in vertical section, of an acety-. lene generatorshowing" the a plication bodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2is a detail view in vertical section of the feed hopper on the line 2,2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a detailview in vertical section on' the line 3, 3, Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows, showing one form of means for restraining andcontrolling the gravity feed of the carbid. Figs. 4 and 5 are brokenviews in vertical section showing modified constructions of gravity feedretaining means. Fig. 6 is aview 1n end elevation of the constructionshown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the construction shown inFig. 5. 1 a

In the practical operation of acetylene generators the feed of thecarbid to the gen- Specificatlon of Letters Patent. 7 Application medmay 29, 1011.

fat-outed May 5,1914. Serial No. 630,101.

crating tank which contains water tocll'ect the desired gas generationis an important feature of the apparatus. The car-bid is usuallyemployed in the form of lumps of irregular size and shape. and greatdilliculty is experienced in feeding the same properly and in therequired proportions. Where a feed hopper is employed the lumps ofrarbid tend to bridge the narrow portion of the hopper and thus to clogthe same, and hence arresting the feed thereof. Various devices havebeen proposed to prevent such clogging, and to secure an eilicient feedof the carbid but practical defects have developed in the use of priordevices which render them unsuited to the purpose, and irizegular inaction.

It is among the special purposes of my present invention to avoid thedefects which have been found to exist. in prior devices employed forthis purpose and to provide hopper by the lamps of carbid. I alsoprovide means whereby the gravity feed rcstraining devices are arrestedwhile fresh supplies of car-bid are being introduced to the feed hopper.

Various specific forms of means for aceomplishing the objects andpurposes of my invention may be devised. While, therefore, I have shown,and will now describe various embodiments of my invention, I desire itto be understood that my invention, as defined in the claim, and in itsbroadest scope, is not to be limited or restricted to specific detailsof construction.

in the drawing 10, designates a generator chamber adapted to containwater into which the carbid is dropped. The carbid is first introducedinto a hopper 11, suitably mounted and supported within the hopper; Thetop of the chamber is provided with an opening controlled by a plug orcover 12, and by the removal of said plug or cover the carbid 'may bereadily delivered into the hopper 11, through said opening.

At its lower end the hopper 11 is con having its smaller end arranged toencompass the delivery mouth of the laterallyextending portion of neck14:. A convenient arrangement is shown wherein a band 18 is applied overor around the exterior surface of the smaller end of the drum, andextends beyond said end so as to also encircle the delivery mouth of theneck portion 14.

With the arrangement above described it will be seen that when carbid isdelivered into the hopper 11, the tendency is for it to descend throughthe hopper and then pass by gravity through the laterally extendingdownwardly inclined portion 14, and thence, also by gravity, passingalong through the drum 17, which, in effect, forms a continuation of thedownwardly inclined, laterally extending portion of the neck, finallydropping from the larger end of the drum into the water contained in thelower partof the tank or chamber 10. The free gravity feed of the carbidin this manner, however, is objectionable since the carbid will therebybe supplied to the generating tank in too great quantity. In accordancewith my in-' vention I provide restraining devices for the purposes ofrestraining the gravity feed of the carbid, controlling such feed, andpreventing the carbid from feeding by'gravity in too great quantities.

The gravity feed restraining device be of different specific form.

In Figs. 1 and 3, I have shown one form wherein a partition plate 19 isplaced within the drum 17 and secured at-its periphery to the innersurface of the drum, and provided with a central hub 20, to receivetherethrough the shaft 15. This partition plate thus carries the drum17, and causes the same to revolve with the shaft. The partition plate19 is slit radially to from triangular shaped flanges 21, which are bentoutwardly toward the larger end of the drum, thereby providing openingsthrough the partition plate through which the carbid may pass by gravityas the drum revolves. By arresting the rotation of the drum the feed ofthe car:

may

bid will also be arrested. The outwardly defiected flanges 21, thus formrestraining means to restrain the gravity feed of the carbid.

In Figs. 4 and 6, I have showna slightly modified form of restrainingmeans wherein the partition plate 19 with the deflected flanges 21, asshown in Fig. 1, is replaced by a partition plate 22, having a series ofradial openings 23, therein, through which in proper regulatedquantities the carbid maypass by gravity as the drum revolves.

In Figs. 5 and 7, I have shown t-wo partition plates 24, 25, havingradial openings 26, 27, respectively, the openings 26, being out ofregister with the openings 27.

In all the forms shown of the gravity feed restraining devices, it willbe readily understood that, in practice, the lumps of carbid will passby gravity through only that slot or opening of the partition platewhich is lowest, and as the axis of the drum is horizontal the radialslots or openings pass suc 'cessively the lowest point in the drum asthe latter revolves. It will be thus seen that I provide a most simpleand eflicient means for controlling and restraining the gravity feed ofthe carbid.

In order to prevent clogging of the carbid in the hopper and in thenarrowed portion thereof and in the throat of the neck portion 1 1, Imount an eccentric 28, upon shaft 15, at a point within the neck portion14-, and apply therearound a strap 29, to which is connected a rod 30.Ihe other end of this rod plays freely through a slot 31, in acrosspiece 32, mounted in the hopper 11. The rotation of shaft 15,imparts oscillatory reciprocating movements to the rod 30, which servesto break up any bridging of the car bid and prevent the same fromclogging.

Rotation may be imparted to shaft 15 in many difierent ways and by anysuitable arrangement of drive device. I have shown a simple constructionof spring motor 33, geared to said shaft. In this arrangement the motoris operated by a weight 34, ,though any. other form of spring motor.might well answer the desired purpose, and in the details thereof saidmotor forms no part of my present invention.

It is important that the feed of carbid from the hopper into thegenerating tank be arrested during the time the cap 12 is open for theintroduction of fresh charges of the carbid to the hopper 11. Toaccomplish this result I employ a rock rod 35, having arms 36 and 37,arranged to coeperate respectively with a stop device 38, associatedwith the motor 33, and with the plug 12, in such manner that the arm 37,extends over plug 12, while the arm 36', is out of engaging relationwith respect to the stop device 38. If desired the arm 37 may beprovided with a depending flange 50 to encompass the plug 12, therebyrendering said plug 12 inaccessible for removal. When however, the arm37 is shifted so as to permit the plug 12 to be accessible for removalthe arm 36 is thereby moved into position to be engaged by the stopdevice 38, and hence to stop the motor.

an eccentric mounted on If desired an arm 39, depending from the hopper11, may serve as an additional-bearing support for the shaft 15.

Having now set forth the objects and nature of my invention, and variousconstruc tions embodying the principles thereof,

What I claim as new and useful, and of my own invention, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is In an acetylene generator, a tank, a hop permounted therein, a shaft extending transversely the lower end of saidhopper, said shaft, a strap guide mounted in the hopper through which 5the end of the rod freely Works, and means for rotating said shaft.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of thesubscribing witnesses,

JOHN B. BURDETT. Witnesses:

LEMUEL SHIELDS, A. W. J ONES.

on this 20th day of May, A. D., 20

